Steam trap test station

ABSTRACT

A steam trap test station includes a body connected to .[.a source of steam.]. .Iadd.an inlet for steam and condensate from an object to be heated by steam.Iaddend., a steam trap and .[.an object to be heated by steam.]. .Iadd.a condensate outlet.Iaddend.. A rotor .Iadd.is .Iaddend.fixed for rotation in the body. The body .[.having.]. .Iadd.has .Iaddend.porting walls defining body ports, and the rotor has porting walls defining rotor ports. The body and rotor ports are adapted and arranged such that an &#34;ON&#34; mode is provided wherein steam .Iadd.and condensate .Iaddend.passes through the station from the .[.source of steam.]. .Iadd.inlet .Iaddend.through the steam trap to the .[.object to be heated.]. .Iadd.outlet.Iaddend.. A &#34;TEST OUTLET&#34; mode .[.being.]. .Iadd.is .Iaddend.first reached when the rotor is turned in a first direction from the &#34;ON&#34; mode wherein .[.an.]. .Iadd.the .Iaddend.outlet .[.max.]. .Iadd.may .Iaddend.be tested for leakage. A &#34;TEST INLET&#34; mode is second reached when the rotor is turned in the first direction from the &#34;ON&#34; mode wherein .Iadd.the .Iaddend.inlet .[.media.]. may be tested. A &#34;BYPASS &amp; VENT&#34; mode is first reached when the rotor is turned in a second direction from the &#34;ON&#34; mode wherein the steam trap is bypassed and vented. An &#34;OFF&#34; mode is second reached when the rotor is turned in the second direction from the &#34;ON&#34; mode wherein steam .[.is.]. .Iadd.and condensate are .Iaddend.blocked.

REFERENCE TO DISCLOSURE DOCUMENT

Reference is made to Disclosure Document No. 362,589 filed Sep. 30,1994.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention is related to steam traps, and more particularly to atest station apparatus for testing steam traps for leakage andfunctionality.

BACKGROUND ART

This invention is related to steam traps which are used throughoutindustry where heat is extracted from steam for any number of reasons.As steam injected into the object to be heated, the by-product(condensed steam), must be removed from the object in a timely mannersuch that additional steam may enter to continue the heat transferprocess. However, it is important that uncondensed steam not be allowedto leave the object in that vast quantities of energy would be wasted.To prevent such inefficiency, a device commonly called a "steam trap" isinstalled on the discharge of the above mentioned object which onlyallows condensate to pass through to the condensate collection system.This condensate trap is a mechanical device reasonably subject tofailure due to wear or plugging of the small orifice passagescharacteristic of these devices. Consequently, such devices aretypically accompanied by a system of valves within the piping to servicethe steam trap.

The number of valves and fittings required to properly test, vent,bypass and isolate a steam trap station can be from a minimum of two toan ideal of eight valves along with several pipe tees, nipples, unions,etc. The cost of the ideal valving system can often exceed the cost ofthe steam trap by a factor of two. The type of valves required is alsospecial and expensive, because of the stringent requirements steamplaces upon equipment. In fact, years ago the inventor developed aspecial type of valve for this service and continues to market thousandsof these valves per year; however, it is only a two valve manifold andit takes two of them plus one additional block valve to accomplish anideal steam trap service station. After considerable research andfailure over several years, the inventor has developed a one handle teststation that will accomplish all of the valving requirements of theideal trap service station, but further adds the very importantdimensions of safety, convenience, compactness, and cost effectiveness.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention consists of a unique design or process whereby a onehandle steam trap station replaces a group of eight two-way valves andaccomplishes exactly the right sequence of open or closed portings asthe one handle selects any of the five required service modes asillustrated in FIGS. 5A-5E and 6. As the handle is rotated through thefive functions and back, fifty nine (59) discrete requirements of openand/or closed valve ports must be accomplished along with perfect timingand sequence to successfully service the steam trap. If only one ofthese port openings or closings is out of sequence, the entire processwould be worthless. Furthermore, the order in which the servicefunctions occur as the station handle is rotated must be right. The testmodes need to occur only as the handle is rotated in one direction;while the vent, the bypass and trap removal functions need to be groupedproperly under the opposite rotation of the handle. (For example, if the"OFF" mode were reached prior to the "VENT" mode, the process would beuseless. Similarly, if "TEST OUTLET" is reached between "BYPASS & VENT"and "OFF" the process would be useless, etc.)

The common belief is that the only way to accomplish a processsequencing this complex and interrelated is to provide a complex,adjustable-cam system of eight valves and cams, with numerous trippoints on each cam, such that the actuation of each valve could bepredetermined and set as the cams rotate through their cycle. Such anarrangement would not be practical for a steam trap manifold because ofthe cost of producing and maintaining such a device would beprohibitive. The rising stem type valves required would also be a poorchoice for steam service according to the inventor's past years ofexperience in steam valving.

This invention results in a very unique and special arrangement of portswithin a disc valve which happens to allow the complex system above tobe reduced to a very simple device with one moving part which utilizesthe sliding seal, straight-through ports and dry running valve facewhich the inventor's years of experience teaches is so important insteam valve service.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partially broken-away side view of a steam trap stationconstructed in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the body to illustrate the port locations withinthe body.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the rotor to illustrate port locationswithin the rotor.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1 that illustrates an alternate seatsystem utilizing six insert seats rather than one big disk seat, withFIGS. 4A, and 4B being sectional views taken along lines A--A and B--B,respectively.

FIGS. 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D, and 5E are schematic views of the station toillustrate interaction between the rotor and body portings duringoperation.

FIG. 6 is a series of flow schematics that illustrate the valvingfunctions of the steam trap station as its handle is rotated througheach service mode.

FIG. 7A is a front view of the steam trap station.

FIG. 7B is a side view of the station mounted to a typical steam trap.

Table 1 is a listing of porting changes required as each service mode isselected.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1, a body 1 is provided with a disc seal 2 and rotor 3which is retained in body 1 via an adjustable nut 4 acting upon springwasher 5 through thrust bearing 6 and upon thrust bearing and detentballs 7 which pushes down on rotor 3. A handle 8 is attached to rotor 3via nut and pin 9 to facilitate rotation of rotor 3. Seal anti-extrusioninserts 10 maybe pressed into body 1 at each port location to retain theseal material as rotor 3 develops sealing pressures within seal 2 andpresses against the soft elastomeric material.

FIG. 2 illustrates the body porting walls that form a series of six bodyports. The body ports include main inlet port 20, second inlet port 21,outlet port 22, trap return port 23, test port 24, and trap supply port25. Body inlet connection 26 communicates with main inlet port 20 andsecond inlet port 21. Outlet connection 27 communicates with outlet port22. Test connection 28 communicates with test port 24.

As shown on FIG. 3 rotor porting walls define a series of four rotorports. The rotor ports include first rotor port 31 connected to secondrotor port 32 via first cross-drilled port 33, and a third rotor port 34connected to fourth rotor port 35 via second cross-drilled port 36.Plugs 38 are located at the ends of first and second cross-drilled ports33, 36.

In operation, FIGS. 5A-5E and 6 illustrate the unique interaction ofthese ten body and rotor ports as the rotor 3 is rotated upon seal 2within body 1. Choosing the "ON" position in FIG. 5A, steam andcondensate flows into body 1 via inlet connection 26, out body 1 viamain inlet port 20 and into rotor 3 via first rotor port 31 to passthrough first cross-drilled port 33 and exit second rotor port 32 intotrap supply port 25, which exits out body 1 into the steam trap inletconduit 48 (FIG. 5A) which is flanged directly to the back of the body 1via two bolts 29 shown in FIG. 7B. Condensate returns from thecondensate trap 50 from its outlet 52 which is likewise flanged directlyto the back of the body 1 via trap return port 23. (FIG. 5A) Thecondensate exits trap return port 23 and into rotor 3 via fourth rotorport 35 to pass through second cross-drilled port 36 and out third rotorport 34 into outlet port 22 to pass through body interconnect port 30 tobody outlet connection 27. The test connection 28 is properly blockedoff by the action of test port 24 acting against a blank unportedposition of face 37 of rotor 3. In Table 1, section "ON" lists the portrequirements of the station in the "ON" mode. FIG. 6 section "ON" offersa schematic illustration of the same port requirements.

In Table 1,"TEST OUTLET" next lists the port changes that must takeplace as the handle 8 rotates rotor 3 counter-clockwise 72° to the firsttest function shown on FIG. 5B as "TEST OUTLET". In "TEST OUTLET" mode,flow of steam and condensate enters body 1 at inlet connection 26 andflows through second inlet port 21 into first rotor port 31 and throughfirst cross-drilled port 33 and out second rotor port 32 into trapsupply port 25 to the steam trap inlet conduit 48 and return throughsteam trap outlet conduit 52 to trap return port 23 to enter third rotorport 34 to pass through second cross-drilled port 36 and exit rotorthough fourth rotor port 35 to intersect body test connection 28 viatest port 24. Thus the operator is able to visually inspect theperformance of the steam trap by seeing the output of the trap andjudging whether the trap is only outputting condensate as it should orif it is passing steam.

Next, the operator may wish to see what is coming to the trap to verifythat the piping is not plugged or that the inlet piping is indeed fullof condensate due to a plugged trap valve. As he selects "TEST INLET"mode he turns handle 8 to rotate rotor 3 72° to the "TEST INLET" modeshown on FIG. 5C which will cause the properly sequenced port changeslisted in Table 1 under "TEST INLET". Flow will now enter body 1 thoughinlet connection 26 and exit body 1 via main inlet port 20 into rotor 3through fourth rotor port 35 to flow through second cross-drilled port36 and exit third rotor port 34 into test port 24 to interconnect totest connection 28. The operator can now see what is coming to the trapand make proper judgements.

If the steam trap tests good the operator will dial handle 8 back toposition "ON" (FIG. 5A).

If the trap tests "bad" he will dial the handle 72° to position "BYPASS& VENT" (FIG. 5D). Table 1 section "BYPASS & VENT" lists the portchanges that must take place as the bypass and vent function isselected. Flow now enters body inlet connection 26 and exits body 1 viasecond inlet port 21 into rotor 3 via third rotor port 34, flows throughsecond cross-drilled port 36 to exit rotor 3 through fourth rotor port35 and flow into body 1 via outlet port 22 and through body port 30 toexit body 1 through outlet connection 27. This flow pattern is termed"bypass" in that it allows the steam/condensate media to continueflowing restricted only by smaller second inlet port 21, even while thesteam trap is isolated and/or removed. Simultaneously, trap supply port25 is connected to second rotor port 32 which interconnects to test port24 and to test connection 28. Thus the trap inlet conduit 48 is allowedto flow out the test connection 28. Since the trap outlet conduit 52 isblocked by trap return port 23 acting against a blank portion of face 37of rotor 3, no fluid can enter the steam trap 50 (FIG. 7B) via the trapoutlet conduit 52, so that the net result is that all pressure is ventedoff the steam trap 50 through the test connection 28. It is now safe toremove the two bolts 29 and remove steam trap 50. It is mandatory thatpressure within steam trap 50 be bled off through its inlet conduit 48in that a valve internal to steam trap 50 is typically located on itsoutlet conduit 52 and could, unbeknownst to the operator, preventpressure from properly venting, thus causing injury to the personloosening bolts 29 to remove steam trap 50. Thus the automatic andproper porting within the station of the present invention is protectingthe person from this commonly safety hazard encountered on manuallyoperated multi-valve systems. It also should be noted that this samemode is commonly used during start-up in that the bypassing of steamtrap 50 allows maximum, although uncontrolled, heat input to the objectbeing heated; and allows contamination collected within the piping topass though the station and out of the system rather than becominglodged within the small steam trap ports.

If it would be undesirable to leave live steam flowing through theobject being heated while the trap is removed, or if the operator simplywishes to stop all condensate flow for various reasons, he may simplydial handle 8 72° further to the "OFF" mode as shown in FIG. 5E. Theporting changes required to accomplish this are listed on Table 1,Section "OFF". This 72° turn causes flow coming in body inlet connection26 to enter main inlet port 20 and exit body 1 via third rotor port 34through second cross-drilled port 36 to fourth rotor port 35 to exittrap return port 23 to second inlet port 21 which is also connected tobody inlet connection 26. Thus the fluid entering body inlet connectionin only connected to itself and is blocked or isolated from other portswithin the body 1. Simultaneously outlet port 22 is acting upon a blankportion of rotor face 37 and is thus blocked such that fluid pressureexisting in body outlet connection 27 cannot enter the rotor 3 porting.Similarly test outlet connection is blocked by action of test port 24being blocked by a blank section of rotor face 37.

When an extension is required of the operating temperature and pressuresabove the limits of available elastomers used to make disk 2 (FIG. 1),it has been found advantageous to modify the station design asillustrated in FIG. 4, 4A and 4B. The disk of rotor 3 is now replaced bysix cylindrical shaped seats 12 acting as seals against rotor 3. It alsobecomes advantageous to reconfigure body 1 (FIG. 1) into two pieces, 1Tand 1B (FIG. 4) to allow lapping the seats 12 flat after they areinstalled into body half 1B. If the seats 12 are of a ceramic or otherhard, strong material they will not necessarily require inserts 13 tosupport and lock them in body half 1B.

An important feature of this alternate embodiment of the invention isthe unique, efficient design of making triple use of bearing balls 7(FIG. 4). These 5 balls serve as: (1) a thrust bearing which transmitsthe force coming from spring washer 5 into rotor 3, (2) an alignmentbearing acting between body half 1T and rotor 3 to keep rotor 3 properlylocated over seats 12, (3) a detent system to very positively locate andlock the rotary position of rotor 3 within body half 1T. It is apparentfrom studying FIG. 1 how balls 7 serve as a thrust bearing and analignment bearing. Reference is made to FIG. 4 to illustrate how balls 7simultaneously serve as in improved detent position locator. There arefive grooves 11 (FIG. 4B) provided in body half 1T in which the fiveballs 7 are trapped with respect to body half 1T. As rotor 3 is rotatedvia handle 8, balls 6 and spring washers 5 (FIG. 4) are free to rotateat will; however, balls 7 must remain keyed to the body via grooves 11evenly spaced 72° apart. Provided in rotor 3 are five very shallowdetent recesses 15 (FIG. 4A) evenly spaced 72° apart and located on thesurface of ball race 16. As rotor 3 with detent recesses 15 rotateswithin body half 1T to which keyed balls 7 via grooves 11, the fiveballs will all simultaneously roll into the five detent recesses andcause the rotor to very briskly snap into position. This coincidence ofball and detent alignment happens a fixed number of times during onerevolution of the rotor; thus providing the five position locatingdetents required at each of the five function modes of this invention.

The advantages of this system are:

1) Economics--a minimum amount of hardware is required to accomplish allthree functions outlined above.

2) Balanced, Low stress System--the high internal forces to produce toaccomplish the anti-rotation torque required to produce a firm, positivelocating detent is often the source of sealing and wear problems intypical rotary valve designs. A typical one detent ball design resultsin strong radial forces against the rotor stem resulting in heavy loadon the stem seals and a rocking of the rotor 3 (FIG. 1) on the mainseats 2. Thus, contaminants get between the seats and rotor and resultin scratching damage to the seats and rotor. The development used inthis unique balanced detent system, along with the special shaped handle8 (FIG. 1), eliminate unbalanced radial loads and lifting of the rotor.

The handle 8 (FIGS. 1 and 7A) is a simple lever handle, but improved bybending the end portion of the handle up over the top of the rotor suchthat the operator injects pure rotary torque into the rotor. Theconventional straight lever handle forces the operator to grasp thehandle and push sideways to produce rotation. This side push results inan equal and opposite radial push on the rotor stem as well as torqueequal to the side push times the length of the moment arm. Since myimproved handle only allows negligible moment arm between the point ofgrasping and the stem, the side load on the rotor is eliminated and theoperator is only able to transmit a twist or torque directly to therotor.

Whereas, the present invention has been described with the respect to aspecific embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various changesand modifications will be suggested to one skilled in the art, and it isintended to encompass such changes and modifications as fall within thescope of the appended claims.

                  TABLE 1                                                         ______________________________________                                        SEQUENCE OF NECESSARY VALVE PORT CHANGES                                      AS EACH SERVICE FUNCTION IS SELECTED                                          ______________________________________                                        ON: (0°)                                                               BOTH INLET & OUTLET VALVES 44,45, FIG. 6, MUST BE OPEN                        BOTH TEST/VENT VALVES 40,41 MUST BE CLOSED                                    AT LEAST ONE BYPASS VALVE 42 OR 43 MUST BE CLOSED                             BOTH STEAM TRAP VALVES 48,52 MUST REMAIN OPEN                                 TEST OUTLET: (CCW 72° from Normal)                                     INLET VALVE 44 MUST REMAIN OPEN                                               OUTLET VALVE 45 MUST BE CLOSED                                                BOTH STEAM TRAP VALVES 48,52 MUST REMAIN OPEN                                 OUTLET TEST VALVE 41 MUST BE OPENED                                           INLET TEST VALVE 40 MUST REMAIN CLOSED                                        BYPASS VALVES 42,43 MUST REMAIN CLOSED                                        TEST INLET: (CCW approx. 72° from Test Outlet)                         INLET VALVE 44 MUST REMAIN OPEN                                               INLET TEST VALVE 40 MUST BE OPENED                                            OUTLET TEST VALVE 41 MUST CLOSE                                               OUTLET VALVE 45 MAY REMAIN CLOSED                                             INLET STEAM TRAP VALVE 48 MUST BE CLOSED                                      OUTLET STEAM TRAP VALVE 52 MUST BE CLOSED                                     BOTH BYPASS VALVES 42.43 MUST REMAIN CLOSED                                   BYPASS & VENT: (CW 72° from Normal)                                    INLET VALVE 44 MUST BE CLOSED                                                 OUTLET VALVE 45 MAY REMAIN OPEN ONLY IF VENT AND                              TRAP OUTLET VALVES 41,52 BOTH CLOSE                                           BOTH BYPASS VALVES 42,43 MUST BE OPENED                                       THE INLET VENT VALVE 40 MUST BE OPENED                                        THE OUTLET VENT VALVE 41 MUST REMAIN CLOSED                                   THE INLET TRAP VALVE 48 MUST REMAIN OPEN (outlet valve                        would not work because of internal valve within trap)                         THE OUTLET TRAP VALVE 52 MUST BE CLOSED                                       OFF: (CW 72° from Bypass Vent)                                         INLET VALVES 42,44 MUST BE CLOSED                                             OUTLET VALVES 43,45 MUST BE CLOSED                                            VENT VALVES 40,41 ARE CLOSED                                                  TRAP VALVES 48,52 MAY EQUALIZE BUT MUST BE CLOSED,                            RESPECT TO MAIN INLET, OUTLET AND TEST PORTS                                  ______________________________________                                    

I claim:
 1. A steam trap test station, comprising:a body connected to.[.a source of steam.]. .Iadd.an inlet for steam and condensate from anobject to be heated by steam.Iaddend., a steam trap and .[.an object tobe heated by steam.]. .Iadd.a condensate outlet.Iaddend.; a rotor fixedfor rotation in the body; the body having porting walls defining bodyports; the rotor having porting walls defining rotor ports; the body androtor ports being adapted and arranged such that an "ON" mode isprovided wherein steam .Iadd.and condensate .Iaddend.passes through thestation from the .[.source of steam.]. .Iadd.inlet .Iaddend.through thesteam trap to the .[.object to be heated.]. .Iadd.outlet.Iaddend., witha "TEST OUTLET" mode being first reached when the rotor is turned in afirst direction from the "ON" mode wherein .[.an.]. .Iadd.the.Iaddend.outlet may be tested for malfunction, and with a "TEST INLET"mode being second reached when the rotor is turned in the firstdirection from the "ON" mode wherein .Iadd.the .Iaddend.inlet.[.media.]. may be tested.
 2. A steam trap test station, comprising:abody connected to .[.a source of steam.]. .Iadd.an inlet for steam andcondensate from an object to be heated by steam.Iaddend., a steam trapand .[.an object to be heated by steam.]. .Iadd.a condensateoutlet.Iaddend.; a rotor fixed for rotation in the body; the body havingporting walls defining body ports; the rotor having porting wallsdefining rotor ports; the body and rotor ports being adapted andarranged such that an "ON" mode is provided wherein steam .Iadd.andcondensate .Iaddend.passes through the station from the .[.source ofsteam.]. .Iadd.inlet .Iaddend.through the steam trap to the .[.object tobe heated.]. .Iadd.outlet.Iaddend., with a "BYPASS & VENT" mode beingfirst reached when the rotor is turned in a second direction from the"ON" mode wherein the steam trap is bypassed and vented, and with an"OFF" mode being second reached when the rotor is turned in the seconddirection from the "ON" mode wherein steam .[.is.]. .Iadd.and condensateare .Iaddend.blocked.
 3. The station of claim 1 with the body and rotorports being adapted and arranged with a "BYPASS & VENT" mode being firstreached when the rotor is turned in a second direction from the "ON"mode, and with an "OFF" mode being second reached when the rotor isturned in the second direction from the "ON" mode.
 4. A steam trap teststation, comprising:a body connected to .[.a source of steam.]. .Iadd.aninlet for steam and condensate from an object to be heated bysteam.Iaddend., a steam trap and .[.an object to be heated by steam.]..Iadd.a condensate outlet.Iaddend.; a rotor fixed for rotation in thebody; the body having porting walls defining body ports; the rotorhaving porting walls defining rotor ports; the body and rotor portsbeing adapted and arranged such that an "ON" mode is provided whereinsteam .Iadd.and condensate .Iaddend.passes through the station from the.[.source of steam.]. .Iadd.inlet .Iaddend.through the steam trap to the.[.object to be heated.]. .Iadd.outlet.Iaddend., with a "TEST INLET"mode being reached when the rotor is turned in a first direction fromthe "ON" mode wherein .Iadd.the .Iaddend.inlet media may be tested, andwith a "BYPASS & VENT" mode being reached when the rotor is turned in asecond direction from the "ON" mode.
 5. A steam trap test station,comprising:a body connected to .[.a source of steam.]. .Iadd.an inletfor steam and condensate from an object to be heated by steam.Iaddend.,a steam trap and .[.an object to be heated by steam.]. .Iadd.acondensate outlet.Iaddend.; a rotor fixed for rotation in the body; thebody having porting walls defining body ports; the rotor having portingwalls defining rotor ports; the body and rotor ports being adapted andarranged such that an "ON" mode is provided wherein steam .Iadd.andcondensate .Iaddend.passes through the station from the .[.source ofsteam.]. .Iadd.inlet .Iaddend.through the steam trap to the .[.object tobe heated.]. .Iadd.outlet.Iaddend., with a "TEST INLET" mode beingreached when the rotor is turned in a first direction from the "ON" modewherein .Iadd.the .Iaddend.inlet media may be tested, and with an "OFF"mode being reached when the rotor is turned in a second direction fromthe "ON" mode wherein steam .[.is.]. .Iadd.and condensate are.Iaddend.blocked.